Starry London hotel that’s welcomed Kate and William, Justin Bieber and The Beatles – and where 1966 WAGs were banned from World Cup winners’ party

The England squad have a mountain to climb – or at least some serious altitude to conquer in Mexico City – if they are to continue their quest to emulate England’s 1966 World Cup heroes.

Captain and hero of the hour Harry Kane will lead Thomas Tuchel’s side onto the field at the legendary Azteca stadium against hosts Mexico early on Monday morning as England race to move one round closer to claiming the biggest prize in football.

The team’s wives and girlfriends, or WAGs, were present in the stands during group matches and Wednesday’s nerve-wracking knockout game against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

If England can do the unthinkable and end 60 years of suffering by winning the World Cup, a national party and possibly a spontaneous bank holiday the day after the final on July 19 will almost certainly end.

WAGs of 1966 were photographed at the five-star hotel… but they were given a definitive answer when it came to attending the lavish reception to celebrate the historic victory

What happened when the dream became reality in 1966?

England’s 4-2 win over West Germany in front of a crowd of 93,000 at Wembley sparked national jubilation.

In London, the team’s heroes, including Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Jack Charlton, Gordon Banks and Roger Hunt, were taken to the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington a few hours after the incident. He received the Jules Rimet award on July 30, 1966.

The hotel, which reopened in 1965 after a major renovation, seemed like a natural venue as it had also hosted the 1966 World Cup draw.

On that triumphant Sunday, England’s players memorably waved to fans gathered in Kensington High Street after their famous win, before heading to a glittering reception to which the WAGs were clearly not invited.

Thousands gathered to greet England players after historic victory – 60 years at hotel

Sixty years later, bus 49 still passes the historic London hotel. Picture: Fans gathered outside the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington in July 1966

The celebrations on that historic Saturday night at the end of July were devoted entirely to WAGs – at the time just wives with a fiancee looking to dine at a diner restaurant away from their husbands.

A subsequent photo shows the spouses gathered, beehives and fancy dresses, but there is no England football player in sight.

The team had headed downstairs for a glittering reception in the Palace Suite hosted by the Football Association and Prime Minister Harold Wilson. The message for spouses was clear: Player plus-ones were not allowed.

‘Nobody wanted to insist’: Nobby Stiles’ wife Kay later says Football Association was chauvinistic in banning WAGs from party

The wives of Bobby Moore, Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst, Ron Springett and Peter Bonetti were photographed at separate dinners at the Royal Garden Hotel on July 31, 1966.

The mother of a six-week-old son whom Nobby Stiles left at home with his wife Kay, then 24, and family in Dublin, later said the “best day of our lives” was shaped by FA chauvinism.

Ms Stiles explained to the Daily Mail in 2016: ‘They allowed some women to attend the banquet but not us. We had to sit alone with a guy from the FA.

‘I still have no idea who he is. If one of us was brave enough to say “this is not right” we would all support him. But times were different then. ‘No one wanted to be aggressive.’

This week a spokesman for the hotel told the Daily Mail that although there were no plans to turn the Palace Suite into a museum room dedicated to the 1966 heroes, it had attracted a lot of attention from guests and would remain as it was 60 years ago.

The hotel is currently serving The Beautiful Game afternoon tea in honor of football’s great history

They said: ‘The reception took place in our hotel’s ballroom, the Palace Suite. This is still a very remembered event in our hotel and our customers ask about the World Cup victory celebrations at that time.

‘Last month we hosted a World Cup-related customer event and were delighted to welcome Sir Geoff Hurst back to the hotel.’

Meanwhile, the dining hall where WAGs dine has changed many times over the decades and is now Origin Kensington, a modern British restaurant located on the ground floor of the hotel.

England footballers aren’t the only famous faces staying at the Kensington hotel, which is now owned by the Goodwood Group and is located next to the stunning Kensington Gardens.

The Beatles, Mick Jagger, Elton John, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan have also recorded, as well as ABBA, Michael Caine, Matt LeBlanc and Dustin Hoffman.

When Justin Bieber stayed in 2012, the property received 20,000 phone calls from fans.

The facility is also frequently used by FA Cup finalists and teams from around the world traveling to face Premier League champions Chelsea.

One month after the World Cup final, Sonny and Cher were guests at the hotel (Photo taken in August 1966)

Paul McCartney photographed at a press conference to promote the University of Leicester’s arts festival at the Royal Garden Hotel in London on 5 February 1968.

Well, it was next door! The Prince and Princess of Wales, who reside at Kensington Palace, just a few hundred meters from the hotel – photographed in 2014 with then-President of Singapore Tony Tan Keng Yam and his wife Mary

A stone’s throw from Kensington Palace; the hotel remains a favorite with tourists visiting the capital

Rugby teams including New Zealand, Australia and South Africa have chosen to stay in Kensington ahead of matches against England at Twickenham Stadium.

The same goes for cricket; The hotel often hosts international teams playing at Lord’s or The Oval.

It was also Australia’s base when they won the 1999 World Cup and hosted several teams during the Champions Cup in both 2004 and 2013.

Last year, more heavyweight guests checked in as many of the stars of the Grand Sumo Event, which took place at the nearby Royal Albert Hall in October, opted to stay at the resort.

What tourists will buy in 2026: Double room overlooking Kensington Gardens, rooms from around £168

Will the hotel pictured this week be able to host another England World Cup party in a few weeks?

This summer, 60 years after the World Cup party, the Royal Garden Hotel is still a tourist attraction; Travelers to the capital choose the hotel for its proximity to Kensington Palace, the Royal Albert Hall and Hyde Park (just a short bus ride from Knightsbridge, Piccadilly, Leicester Square and Covent Garden).

Recent TripAdvisor reviews of stays at the property suggest that the service is as good as it once was.

One person wrote about their stay this month: ‘An A+ experience from the moment we arrived… staff could not have been more welcoming. The room was spotlessly clean, the linens were beautifully appointed, and the view of Hyde Park was spectacular. You won’t be disappointed.’

We hope for a new chapter in the Royal Garden Hotel’s World Cup book…

Double rooms start from £168.Beautiful Play Afternoon Tea is available at: From 11 June to 19 July 2026, prices start from £45 for adults and £25 for children. royalgardenhotel.co.uk